Page 114 of The Last Goodbye

We made our way upstairs without saying a word, and once we were in the bedroom with the door closed, he pulled me close and wrapped me up in his arms.

“Fuck that woman. She’s a miserable human being.” He kissed the top of my head and continued to run his hands up and down my arms.

Whether it was the comfort he offered or the fact that he’d just stood up for me in a way no one ever had since the day my mom had left this earth, my shoulders started to shake, and I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Let it out, Magpie. I’ve got you,” he whispered.

And I knew he did.

So I let it out. I let it all out.

He just held me there until I stopped crying and my breathing had slowed. I took a few deep breaths before tipping my head back to look at him.

“I’m sorry about that. I’m good.” I stepped back, suddenly self-conscious about falling apart in front of him, on top of having the most embarrassing family dinner of all time.

“You don’t need to be good for me, Briar.” His voice was deep and certain. “I don’t even have a relationship with my mother. But I sure as shit am not going to sit there and allow that woman to treat you so disrespectfully. Sometimes no relationship is better than a bad one. At least that’s what I try to tell Jovi.”

I nodded. “You’re probably right.”

“There’s a nice bathtub in the bathroom, and you’ve mentioned how much you like taking baths. Why don’t I run you a bath? It’ll help you relax.”

He stalked toward the bathroom before I could even answer him, and I followed him.

“You’re running me a bath?” He turned on the water without a word and then yanked his shirt over his head. “What are you doing?”

“I’m taking a bath with you.” He unbuckled his pants and motioned for me to get undressed.

“I asked you once, and you said you don’t take baths.” I dropped my sundress to the floor and tied my hair in a knot on top of my head.

“Yeah. I also don’t do family dinners with women that I’m seeing, and here we are.”

Here we are.

We were both undressed and in the water in no time. I settled between his legs, my back resting against his chest.

“Did I make things worse for you?” he asked, his voice quieter now, as I ran my fingers over the inked lines on his fingers.

“I don’t think that could be possible. If you hadn’t stopped it, I think she would have gone further. It’s obvious that she’s worried about this interview tomorrow, and she just can’t resist taking shots at me.”

“So why keep coming back?” he asked, and he wasn’t being judgmental about it; he appeared to genuinely want to know.

I rolled over in the tub so my chest was resting against his. The water splashed around us, but I wanted to face him.

“Honestly?” I asked, because the truth was going to suck.

“Always.”

“Where else would I go? This is the only family I have left.” I shrugged. “So I’m trying very hard to fit in and make it work.”

“You were never meant to fit in, Briar. You were meant to stand out. And if they don’t see how amazing you are?” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “How good your heart is, and how kind and talented and intelligent and special you are? They can just fuck the hell off, as far as I’m concerned.”

“Denton seems frustrated by Tabitha, and we’ve grown closer over the years. And I can tell that my dad doesn’t agree with her, but he just doesn’t want to fight with her, either. I think he feels guilty for having an affair all those years ago, and I’m a reminder of that.” I shook my head.

“Briar, that is not on you. That was his choice. And your father and your brother should not allow her to treat you the way she’s treating you. Because you can’t have a relationship with either of them if they’re okay with her speaking to you the way she did tonight. Hell, I’ve known you for two months, and I’m not okay with it. They’ve had a few years to figure out the dynamic and acknowledge that his affair is not on you. He’s fucking lucky you want to have him in your life. It’s about time that he fucking appreciated you.”

I sighed. “I think bringing you here with me was the best decision I’ve made in a long time.”

“Well, dating you is the best decision I’ve made in a long time. Maybe ever.” He kissed my nose. “And I’m not going anywhere.”